VIP ServicesExperienced Tampa Casino Hosts

Unforgettable Service

Our team members go above and beyond the everyday call of duty to treat every single guest at our property like the celebrity that they are. Check out our star-studded lineup of multilingual casino hosts, ready and waiting to make your time at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa an unforgettable ride.

CUONG CHAU

Player Development Director – Speaks Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Mandarin

Cuong is seasoned veteran bringing over 20 years of hospitality and gaming experiences to the Player Development team. Prior to joining Seminole Hard Rock Tampa, he worked for Pinnacle Gaming in the greater St Louis area. Cuong has an extensive background in guest service and a vast knowledge of the Asian culture.

ALLEN McBRAYER

Player Development Director

Originally from West Virginia, Allen has spent over 20 years in the hotel and gaming industry. His career began at the Safety Harbor Resort and Spa as a manager in 1989. Allen later traveled to Laughlin, Nevada where he worked in Player Development for a Caesars Entertainment casino. Fast forward to 2012, he moved back to the Sunshine State and joined the Player Development team at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa and quickly rose up the ranks to Director. Allen believes that there is no better feeling than putting a smile on someone’s face by performing an act of kindness.

John Conklin

SGA Vice President of Player Development

Originally from Arlington, Virginia, John is a pioneer of the casino industry bringing over 30 years of top-notch sales experience ranging from cell phones and luxury suites to casinos. John is highly respected by many sports professionals in his pursuit of bringing together the world of sports and gaming. His energy and passion for guest service and sports truly cannot be matched. John’s attitude to life is both refreshing and effective, always reminding everyone to love life!

CHRISTINA PITALO

SGA Player Development Director

Christina has over 20 years of valuable casino experience. She started her career in 1998 in her home town of Biloxi, Mississippi. After graduating from college, Christina decided to pursue a career in the casino industry and landed a role in Player Development. She was a key member of the Hard Rock grand opening team at Biloxi before making the move to beautiful Tampa Bay to join the Seminole Hard Rock family in 2009. Christina, now a Player Development Director, enjoys meeting new people and always greets them with a smile. Christina is also an avid community volunteer and enjoys spending her free time with her daughter and friends.

KATE TILLEY

Player Development Manager

Kate was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She started her career at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa in 2011 on the Food & Beverage team. Shortly after, she earned a degree in International Business Management from the University of South Florida. This led to a transition into the Player Development in 2012. Kate truly enjoys assisting current/future guests and ensuring they have a fantastic gaming and entertainment experience.

Travis Truong

Player Development Manager - Speaks Vietnamese

Travis hails from Phoenix, Arizona where he attained his guest service skills working with major companies and starting his own business. After making the trek to the Sunshine State to pursue a higher education, Travis graduated with a degree from the University of South Florida. He entered the casino industry in 2015 and is thrilled to be a part of the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa family. His diligent work ethics and acute attention to guest needs launched his career progression and growth in Player Development. Outside of Hard Rock, Travis is a huge soccer fan and a proud supporter of team USA and Manchester United.

Karime Wohlrab

SGA Player Development Executive

Karime brings over 10 years of hotel and gaming experience since joining the Player Development team in January 2016. Originally from the “Windy City” and a graduate of Northern Illinois University, Karime has worked for Grand Victoria Casino, Hollywood Casino and Harrah's Joliet Casino & Hotel. She believes the best part of working in the gaming industry is meeting people from all walks of life and takes great pride in building lasting relationships with each guest. When she’s not spending time with her family and friends, Karime enjoys being out on the golf course.

Tyler Patten

SGA Player Development Executive

Tyler relocated to Tampa in 2009 from Ft. Wayne, Indiana to pursue his dreams of working in the casino industry. He started his career at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa as a Player's Club Supervisor before joining the Player Development team in 2013 as a Casino Host. In his spare time, he enjoys playing golf and spending time with family and friends. Tyler looks forward to making your casino experience truly memorable.

KANGLING "CONNIE" ZHENG

Player Development Executive - Speaks Mandarin

Connie has been with Seminole Hard Rock Tampa since 2009. Her vast knowledge in the hospitality industry allows her to make sure the casino experience is the best it can possibly be. Her key duties include promoting the property and generating new business. She has successfully developed and maintained business relationships with higher end clientele and delivers a more personal experience for players. She assesses player’s requests and meets them with the utmost attention to detail and efficiency.

ELI BROOKE

Player Development Executive

Eli relocated to Tampa from New York City after 6 years of business to business sales and sales management in midtown Manhattan. He has a proven track record of business development success across several different industries. Eli joined the Player Development team in 2009 and enjoys the role as it fosters his entrepreneurial qualities. His attention to customer service, casino gaming and coaching prove to be three of his most valuable skills.

Alvin Pasagui

Player Development Executive - Speaks Tagalog

A proud graduate of Richard Stockton University, Alvin began his career at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Joining the Player Development team at Seminole Hard Rock in 2016, he brought with him, 9 years of hospitality and gaming experience. Alvin prides himself in providing a superior level of guest service on a daily basis and is committed to going above and beyond in any circumstance. When he’s not on the casino floor, Alvin loves to indulge in a glass of wine. This trained wine and spirits connoisseur can recommend the perfect food and drink pairing for any occasion.

Debra Jacobs

Player Development Executive

Debra is a seasoned veteran of the casino industry with over 22 years of experience. A graduate from Wesley College, she holds a degree in Marketing and Fashion Merchandising. After graduation, Debra began her career in the Big Apple as an Assistant Buyer Trainee for the department store, Lord & Taylor. Through her love for fashion, Debra went on to work as a model for renowned fashion designers and later opened her own modeling agency. Although the fashion world will always be Debra’s passion, she ventured into the gaming industry through her roles in high impact sales and marketing. Debra’s gaming experience began at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino in Delaware and her dedication transcended her up the ranks. Debra comes from a military family and spent years living in various states as well as abroad in Germany and Italy. She enjoys meeting new people and takes pride in making everyone feel special.

Brendon Chen

Executive Casino Host - Speaks Cantonese and Mandarin

Originally from the Big Apple New York City, Brendon began his gaming career in Special Events and Consumer Promotions at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. Brendon's love for the gaming industry runs in his family as he is the 10th member to pursue this career path. The journey has led Brendon to the Sunshine State, joining the Player Development team at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa in November 2014. In just a few short years, he was quickly promoted due to his diligent work ethics and dedication to exceed every guest expectations while ensuring their visit is always memorable. When Brendon is not on the casino floor, this football fanatic enjoys adventuring outdoors.

Chris Austria

Executive Casino Host - Speaks Tagalog

Originally from the Philippines, Chris moved to the US in 2002. He began his gaming career at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada before joining Seminole Hard Rock Tampa in 2012. During his two years working in Casino Marketing at the Player’s Club, Chris’s dedication to providing every guest with top-level service would later ease his transition to the Player Development team. In his spare time, Chris enjoys spending it with his wife and 3 kids.

Don Mark

Executive Casino Host

Don has been with Seminole Hard Rock Tampa since December 2015. He is a veteran, casino industry expert with years of experience working various positions in Marketing and Player Development at The Borgata in Atlantic City, New Jersey and Maryland Live! Casino. Don’s experiences excelled beyond the casino industry having also worked for a Major League Baseball team, the Baltimore Orioles. He brings has leadership and immaculate people skills to the Player Development team and is excited about the future where every day is a new adventure. A man of many talents with love for jazz music, Don is a professional saxophone player with his own Pandora Internet Radio Channel.

Emad Yacoub

Executive Casino Host - Speaks Arabic

Originally from Egypt, Emad moved to the US in 2001 where he worked in Banquets while residing in New York. In 2006, Emad ventured south to join the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa team as he continued his career in Banqueting. Due to his passion in guest service and his attention to detail, within three short years he landed a role in Player Development as a Casino Host. Now as an Executive Casino Host, Emad enjoys meeting and engaging with each guest while providing service that is sure to be a memorable experience. In his spare time, Emad enjoys spending time with family and watching soccer.

Nicole Holzhauer

Executive Casino Host

Nicole is originally from Utica, New York and has been in the hospitality industry for over 13 years. She holds a bachelor degree from the University of South Florida and brings strong, guest service knowledge from her prior positions in Food & Beverage. Nicole joined the Players Development team in 2016 and has been focused on building positive, personalized experiences and exceeding guests’ expectations. When she’s not with her Seminole Hard Rock family, you can find Nicole at the beach with her dog Stella or enjoying her favorite drink of choice at Starbucks.

Adam Shamsie

Executive Casino Host

Settling in Tampa, Florida after living in Davenport, Iowa, Adam brings over 9 years of casino industry experience. His experiences range from Food & Beverage to Player Development where he worked at Wild Rose Casino & Resort and Jumer’s Casino & Hotel before joining Seminole Hard Rock Tampa in September 2017. Adam developed a deep appreciation for building strong relationships with his guests and loves the excitement and the continuous change in the environment of the casino life. Adam is a Chicago sports fanatic due to his Illinois roots and is an avid golfer.

Kevin O'Connor

Executive Casino Host

Kevin brings more than a decade of sales experience to the high energy and fast-paced action of the casino industry since joining Seminole Hard Rock Tampa in 2017. Prior to moving to the Sunshine State, he spent 25 years in Robbinsville, New Jersey working as a Stockbroker on the New York Stock Exchange. Kevin’s work ethics and “can-do” attitude are both refreshing and effective in delivering top-notched guest service. Outside of work, Kevin loves to travel. He has made several trips to Ireland to be with family while enjoying the culture, scenery, cuisines and drinks.

Tereza Peclinovska

Executive Casino Host - Speaks Czech

Tereza was born and raised in Prague, Czech Republic where she graduated from school in Hotel Management. Since moving to the United States, she has worked in the hospitality industry for 8 years at the Tampa Airport Marriott before joining Seminole Hard Rock in 2014. Her wide range of knowledge in hospitality and willingness to embrace any challenges given has propelled her transition from Hotel Operations to the Player Development team in 2015. With her positive and upbeat attitude, Tereza enjoys meeting new people and look forward to creating many memorable experiences for our guests. When she’s not living the Hard Rock Life, Tereza loves going to the beach with her daughter and staying active by biking, skating, playing tennis and volleyball, indoor skydiving, etc.

Michael Abraham

Executive Casino Host

Michael hails from a small town outside of Chicagoland in Poplar Grove, Illinois before moving to Tampa Bay to attend the University of Tampa. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Digital Arts and began his career in Public Relations at the PEACE Volunteer Center working for the university in developing volunteer opportunities for the students. Michael joined the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa family in 2016 at the Player’s Club before transitioning to VIP Services. Through his experiences in VIP Services, Michael was an integral part in delivering high-quality guest service and always strive to exceed expectations in every tasks he encounters. He enjoys the exciting atmosphere of the casino industry and the people he meets on a daily basis since each day is a completely different experience. In his free time, Michael loves being outdoors fishing, kayaking, scuba diving and training/competing in Spartan Races.

Linh Do

Executive Casino Host - Speaks Vietnamese

Originally from Hanoi, Vietnam, Linh brings her enthusiastic personality and over 10 years of experience in guest service and intercultural corporate sales to Seminole Hard Rock Tampa. She spent five of those years working in the hospitality and casino industry in Louisiana. Linh is fluent in Vietnamese and is professionally trained in communicating with guests and team members from diverse cultures and backgrounds. Linh is a believer in always going the extra mile in every task she encounters and is committed in exceeding every guest expectations. When she’s not on the casino floor in the thrill of the action, Linh enjoys spending time with family and staying active by taking Zumba classes.

Margaret Little

Executive Casino Host

Originally a snowbird from Windsor, Ontario, Canada, Margaret brings over 20 years of experience in the casino industry. Her experiences throughout the years range from Finance, Slots, to Player Development. Margaret found her passion in Player Development as she continued her path in the gaming industry in Detroit and Ohio before settling in the sunny Florida at our sister property, Brighton Casino. Margaret is committed to delivering exceptional guest service and has a natural ability to anticipate guest needs, therefore allowing her to provide personalized experiences for each person she meets. She is excited to join the Player Development team here at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa. Margaret loves spending her leisure time with family, cooking/baking, traveling and helping others.

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